


Someone new in the TARDIS

by OUATgirl



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: Discussion of Abortion, F/M, Married Life, Time Babies, Time Tot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-11
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 12:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12276564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OUATgirl/pseuds/OUATgirl
Summary: The doctor feels a bit lonely and finds himself thinking about River, accidentally sending her a message, but when he picks her up for a date, something's not quite right.





	1. It's a date...

The Doctor's POV

"Boring, boring, boring, nothing to do! No, not nothing, I could go and check out the Briss constellation. Or maybe not, nasty worms. Or I could check out the Jupiter space station, nah, they kicked me out. Maybe, I should go visit the Ponds, no, they're living their lives, and they think I'm dead."

I'm lonely, and bored, and I need to talk to someone, to do something, time is too slow. It has been six months since lake Silencio and the only person who knows I'm alive is River, my wife, it feels so good to say that. About a month ago, I took her on a date to celebrate her birthday on a planet where all the four seasons happen at the same time, we could be ice skating in a minute and sunbathing in the next, oh the fun we had...

Out of the blue, something feels very weird, the psychic paper, of course, I was holding it. I look at it and there's a message:

**" Hello, sweetie. What is it ?"**

River, blimey ! I must've subconsciously sent her a message. But what kind of message? I was thinking about our date, but, let's hope it wasn't anything too much, though with that woman, apparently nothing is too much.

Now, I sent her a message, so I can't just not answer it, but I have to be carefull, so I try to make sure I'm talking to the right River:

**" Hello, dear, I' ll tell you in a minute, but I need to know, when are we?"**

I wait for a few seconds until a new message appears

**" Well, you took me on a date three months ago for my birthday, and I found out how you ' absolutely adore' candy canes."**

Right, great, her way of making sure that I know who she is, is by refering the most embarassing part of that date. It was a great day, and a great night, and it ended in goodbyes with mugs of hot chocolate. while they were preparing our drinks, I noticed something different on one corner of the counter: coloured candy canes, each colour matching a different flavour. I particularly enjoyed the yellow ones, that tasted like ginger beer. Although, apparently, I had too many of those, which led to a very endearing, (and utterly riddiculous), two-minute long speech about how candy canes were, without a shade of doubt, the best candy in all of time and space. So, it's not the now River, but she's not that far away. Well, then, I might as well have a bit of fun:

**" Okay, then, what do you think about a late honeymoon ?"**

 The answer shows up not much later:

**" Sounds lovely, sweety, I'm a few blocks away fom my parents' house, give me a lift will you ?**

**" On my way, honey "**

**"It's a date then**   **"**


	2. Sorry, I'm late

River's POV

It's dark, it's cold, and he's late, of course. I sent him  the time and location almost an hour ago, now, it's almost midnight and he still hasn't showed up. I decide to sit down, unfortunatly, the only sit available is the sidewalk. Oh, well, I'll change clothes once I'm in the TARDIS.

The first few months after Lake Silencio were hard. Finally, I couldn't watch my parents suffer anymore, mourning a man who wasn't really dead, and I told them the Doctor had survived, using the Tesselecta as a disguise.

Then, there is the matter of our dates. In fact, I just came back from one of them. Champagne over the Milky Way, marvellous. and, then, just a few moments after the TARDIS vanished from view, I got a message from him, not the him that I'd just been with, in my psychic paper. Not much, really, just a word, 'River'. And now, here I am, waiting for him to take me on our honeymoon, sitting on a dirty sidewalk, and he's late.

Sudenly, I hear it. That wheezing sound that means hope for half the universe, and serious trouble for the other half. I turn around and there it is, the TARDIS. the door opens and out comes a tall, slim man, wearing a tweed jacket, a lovely bowtie, and...a fez.

" Really, sweetie? You have to be joking."

He smirks:

" I told you, fezzes are cool."

I roll my eyes and his smirk turns to a smile, he takes my hand and puts an arm around my waist, guiding me trough the door. Once we're inside, I grab his collar and kiss him, deeply, passionatly, like we haven't seen eachother in years, as far as I know, we might've not. His arms flail around for a bit, before landing on my waist. He's so cute when he does that.

We breake the kiss, and stay in eachother's arms for a while, then, before he recognizes what's happening, I yank the fez out of his head and throw it through the door, closing it behind me. His face scrunches in a frown, wich is quickly swept away and replaced by a smile, one I gladly kiss off his face, returning then to my post to keep him away from that damn fez.

The Doctor's POV

River is leaning against the door, not only to keep me from retrieving the perfectly good fez she threw out, ( wich was not very cool of her ), but also to tease me. I could be distracted by her beautiful curves, but at the moment there is something far more distracting about her face. There's a certain glow to it, and it's not just that, she's happy, happier than I've seen her in ages. And she's different altogether. It's nothing wrong, but she seems not quite herself. I like this River, she's not that far away, but a lot can happen in two months of difference. I keep looking at her, (and smiling like an idiot), until she kisses me again, only to then firmly guard the door again.

I surrender and give up on trying to reach for the door, at wich point she straightens up and sways towards the controls. She starts fiddling with the switches and levers, and I finally speak:

"You're different."

She suddenly stops, well, that's new. She doesn't face me but I hear her ask:

" How so?"

"Well, first, you're happier."

She still has her back to me:

" Oh, that one's easy, I just came back from a date with you, and now, I'm leaving again to go on a honey moon. It seems like a perfectly good reason to be happy "

" Really ? where did we go ?"

She turns to me, looking a bit confused:

" To me, your birthday was last month." I clarify.

"Well, then," she flashes me a knowing smile, " Spoilers"

And, with that, she pulls a lever, and I have to hold on to something, We're moving.  


	3. Scanning

The Doctor's POV

We stopped moving, and I head for the controls.

"River, where are we?"

"Relax, honey, we're orbiting the earth, because it wouldn't be very funny for my parents to take a walk and find a big blue box from a man who's supposedly dead, now, would it?"

"Right, good point." Good, now I just have to find a nice place to take her.

"Well then, you ..." 

She suddenly stops, holds on to the handrail, and takes her other hand up to her mouth.

"River?"

She takes a while before talking:

"It's alright, sweetie,I'm just a bit sick. I'll be fine in a minute."

" Are you sure? You seem a bit pale, I could scan you..."

"No, no..." Her face aquires a panicked expression for a second, before she forces on a calming smile," I'll be just fine."

She leaves the control room to change and I'm left trying to find an interesting place to take her. However, I can't stop thinking about the look of panic on her face. What if she is ill, and doesn't want me to worry? After a bit, I hear her coming back and I've made a decision. I set everything up to scan her. What she doesn't know, can't hurt her, right?

Everything's ready. I turn around and I almost choke. Ruver is now wearing a beautiful white dress, her curls loose over her shoulders, red high heels, and a matching lipstick. She's smiling widely, but I can't help but noticing her concerned expression. Something's really not right. I start walking towards her, when suddenly

**DING**

I stop, at this point I'm pretty much praying ' don't ask, don't ask, please don't ask...'

Of course praying never did much for me:

" What was that, sweetie?"

"What?"

"That noise"

"Oh, it's just a silly alarm thingy, nothing important."

" Well, are you sure? Alarms tend to be important. I can wait..."

I head for the console and bring the flashing screen next to me. Maybe I was wrong, maybe she is fine after all.

I take a good look at the screen.

Oh, my...

River is not sick at all...

River's POV

He's pushing some buttons and looking at the screen, suddenly, his eyes go wide and his jaw drops, he starts mouthing something 

" Sweetie?"

he takes a deep breath:

"you're, you're..."

"I'm what ? Sweetie, are you alright?"

"You're pregnant"

Oh, no. This is wrong. This is very wrong. I can feel myself blush. I try to talk but all I can do at the moment is stammer:

" How... How did you know?"

" Wait, you knew ?"

"I asked first"

He pushes the screen towards me

" You scanned me. Even after I told you not to."

"Well, apparently, you already knew you were pregnant, so why didnt you tell me in the first place?" He stepped closer to me and puctuated the end of each word with an accusating finger.

I need to calm down, I need to... well, I never was a very calm person, and of couse that after that comment, I slap him. I need to get out of here, I can feel the tears in my eyes. I'm not going to let him see me crying. I turn around and walk back to our bedroom, slamming the door shut behind me. 

This can't be happening. 

Not today.

Not now.


	4. Why

The Doctor's POV 

She knew, she bloody knew, all along. She knew she wasn't sick. Alright. Okay. Now, it's my turn to process everything. River is pregnant, but why wouldn't she tell me? Could it be from someone else? No, she wouldn't, would she?

I have to sort this out, and I won't do it if I keep sitting alone in the console room, worrying about 'what ifs'.

That said, I get up and take a deep breath. Let's do this right.

I gave her ten minutes of peace to calm down, that should be enough, right?

I walk to the bedroom and knock. No answer. I open the door just a bit. 

"River?"

" Oh, take a hint, will you?" She groans from inside.

" Please, I just want to talk."

" Fine, whatever"

I let myself in and find her sitting on the floor on the far side of the bed. She's facing the wall and dismisses my presence when I sit down next ro her.

" River, I just want to ask you a question, just one."

She finally faces me and I notice little wet stripes down her face. She's been crying.

 The traces of her tears are shining with the light coming from the hallway into the darkened room. Any happiness that I might've seen earlier in her face is gone. Her expression is a mix of sadness, rage, betrayal, and...fear. Why would she be afraid? All these little nuances are bad enough, but the tears make it all the more heartbreaking.

I lift my hand to wipe them away, but stop in mid-air. This isn't easy, but there's no way to sugar coat it.

"So, you're pregnant, and you already knew, but you didn't say anything,"

She keeps looking at me, and I keep going, after a deep breath:

" I've been trying to figure out why, so I have to ask... Is it mine?"

She straightens up, a look of shock plastered on her face:

" Is it... Excuse me? What kind of wife do you think I am?"

 " So, It is mine?"

"Of course!"

A sense of absolute wonder dawns over me. River is pregnant with my child. I'm going to be a father again:

" Ha, we're going to have a baby! This is brilliant, absolutely fantastic, the greatest news ever..."

"Sweetie..."

We're going to have a little you, or a little me, either way, it's, it's..."

"Sweetie, listen to me."

River places her hands over mine. I look at her, expecting to see her happy again, but she has a pained expression:

"It won't be anything, I'm sorry, we're not having a baby."

"But you said..."

"I'm aborting." she blurts out.

I feel my hearts skip a couple of beats. All the bubbly fellings I had, just pop. 

"But, why?"

"Why? Why? Do I really need to explain this to you? I mean, look at our lives. Imagine if in a couple of months, I find you, a younger you, a you that might not know who I am, and you see me with a baby bump. How is it then, huh? Not to mention, that this baby is yours, It'll grow up to be a time lord, or a time lady, and, sooner or later, whether it is now or in a thousand years, we'll both be gone,"

I shiver at the memory of our first meeting, the adventure of a very young me, my first glimpse of the woman who would become my wife. The pain in her eyes when I asked her who she was. The realization that I had always known how it would all end. Maybe remebering this very conversation.

" So, you're afraid that our child will loose us?"

" No, I'm afraid of what will happen  _after_ we're gone. This child will not only grow up to be a Time Lord. It'll grow up to be the _last_ of the Time Lords, I've seen what it did to you, I'm sorry, but I won't do that to my child, not if I can help it, I... "

The tears are back, she's scared and now I see why. I hold out my arms and she scoots over.

" And, you know the worst part?"

"What is it dear?"

" I was actually happy, at first. When I found out, before I remembered all the problems, I was happy, I started planning on how to tell you and all that. But then..."

I can't see her like this. River is strong, she never looks sad, at least not when I'm looking. And now, here she is, breaking apart in my arms.

She never had much, part of it is my fault. Now, she had something that made her happy for a few seconds, before she started thinking about all the complications. 

This is wrong, she doesn't deserve this: Love is a promise,  I love River, I love this child, I'll make this right for them.

"River, "

"Yes?"

" I'll fix this, I promise." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this one is a bit sad, but I really like it. I know it's darker than the others, but don't hate me. I really hope you liked it as well.


	5. What if ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, first of all, I am so sorry for not updating this sooner. I tried but I had tests and papers to deliver and a 500 page book to make an essay about... it was madness. Besides, the end of the last chapter was a bit difficult, and I tried a lot of stories and ended up throwing them away. But I finished this chapter at last. I hope ypu like it. This is an idea that came to me at three AM on a thursday, so, here goes nothing.

River's POV

" I'll fix this, I promise." He assures me. Ever the optimist, my love.

I can feel his voice rumbling trough his chest, it's nice, calming, like a balm. For a moment, I almost belive his promise, but, as I learned a very long time ago, sometimes not even the Doctor can save everyone.

When I found out I was pregnant, the world around me seemed to shine in pure bliss. I was going to have a second chance at a normal family, my parents would be there for me in the next stage of my life, we could be happy...

Then I remembered Utah. I remembered the weight on my chest when I thought he was dead, the overwhelming gap that it left in me, and the shuddering feel of loss. This was his last regeneration, no more new faces. No more glowing lights. No more. Next time it would be the end. The real end. And me ? I'm even worse, a few tweaks here and there, and I'll last a couple more hundred years. Peks of being part time-lady, I guess. I can't leave this baby all on its own.

He keeps his arms around me, his hands holding me like I'm going to fall in an abyss if he lets me go. I haven't slept in a while, and with the calming rhythm of his heartbeats, I find myself drifting off to sleep.

The Doctor's POV

River's breath evens and she relaxes in my arms. She's asleep, good. I get her to the bed and tuck her in, closing the bedroom door as I leave her to rest. I meant what I said, I **will** fix this, I'm still not sure how, but I will.

The way I see it, our biggest problem is the pregnancy itself. River is right, neither of us is going to be here for ever, but that doesn't mean that we can't be happy while we  _are_ here. I know she'd make a wonderful mother, that child would be the luckiest kid in the universe. No, not would, will. If only I could get them away from everyone for a few months, no paradoxes, no mistakes, no time... No time! That's it. Oh, this is brilliant, I'm brilliant, if I may say so myself. River is going to be thrilled. No, I can't wake her up, she just fell asleep... Oh, well, maybe I'll wait a few hours.

River's POV

I feel a pair of lips brush mine in a chaste kiss. Opening my eyes, I find myself confortably laying on our bed, the Doctor keeling beside it, with a wide grin on his face.

" Good morning, sunshine! Did you sleep well ?" he asks, softly.

" Very much so, yes."

"Good, because I have great news for you. I found a way to keep my promise."

I sit on the bed, suddenly very awake.

" What if... you simply stayed here."

I open my mouth, but he lifts his hand as if to tell me to wait, and keeps talking

" I know what you said, ' one psychopath per TARDIS ', but come on River, it makes sense. You would be out of the course of time, and you'd be with me, It can work.

I stay silent for a while, he does have a point. It's an easy way out, this could actualy work, I guess it's worth the shot.

"Alright."

His grin turns into a loving smile and I kiss him. My Doctor, my husband, the man who just fixed all my problems in two seconds. God, how I love him. We break apart and I speak again.

"Okay, that was a pretty good idea, but, if I'm going to keep the baby, I want to tell my parents. And I want you to be there.

His eyes widen, he swallows hard, and gets a look of abject terror.

I can't help but laugh at the change: " Oh, sweetie, it's alright. No need to look so scared, Christmas is just around the corner, pop in by then, and we'll tell them together, with a bottle of wine, or two."

" So, you want me to tell your father that you're pregnant, and you want me to tell your mother that she'll be a grandmother before she turns forty. Honey, you could get the whole liquor store, I'm a dead man."

  


	6. A Christmas Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!!! I haven't updated in AGES, I'm trash, I know, please don't hate me.  
> but it is here. this next chapter is a bit different though, I'm going to try something new: In this chapter, I'll write in a third person point of view, instead of the characters', as I have before. let me know which way you like the most in the comments.  
> thank you so much to all of you who read, commented, and left kudos. I love you, and I hope you like this chapter <3

After all the arrangements were done, River gave the Doctor a chaste goodbye kiss and left the TARDIS, as he stepped back in. A few switches turned here, a few buttons pressed there, and he was moving again. not for too long though, as he stopped a few days in advance.

"Right, Christmas Eve, this ought to be fun."

The Doctor stopped in front of a blue door and knocked. Inside, he heard a woman's voice complaining about Christmas carolers and water guns, and then the door opened. 

Amy looked not very different than the last time he'd seen her. Wearing a blue and white jumper, a bright yellow water gun (as promised), and a shocked face, she came to an absolute halt in front of him.

The following conversation earned him a few splashes of water from the damned gun, a long deserved hug ( without any tears at all, he didn't cry, you're crying, shut up), and the knowledge that River wasn't very good at keeping secrets from her parents. Of course she'd told them he was alive. He prayed she hadn't told them anything else.

Thinking back, it was unfair, he knew it. H'ed been going on dates with River almost every week, but he'd left the Ponds without a clue for two years. But he was here now, sitting at the table, at Christmas, with his family. Yes, he decided, _his family_.  

.o.0.o.

The dinner was a lot less awkward than anyone had expected: the Ponds wanted to know where the Doctor had been, and he told them his stories in the most dramatic way, with a lot of snickers and the occasional input from River. In return, Amy and Rory told them all about their normal, human lives. The Doctor reveled in the little things that made couple smile, as the simplest trip to the store was a tale of adventure, as long as they were together. Glancing at River, he realized he could have that now. And he couldn't help but smile. 

When Rory took their plates and Amy got the dessert from the fridge, River turned to him:

" So, do wait until after dinner or do you want to tell them over dessert?"

" As far as I'm concerned, the sooner we tell them, the better"

"Tell us what?"

The question made both of them jump and turn back to it's source. Rory entered the room, followed by Amy, who carried a beautifully decorated chocolate log. She placed it on the table and sat down.

" Yeah, tell us what?"

The Doctor took River's hand and met her eyes, they smiled at each other and she turned to her parents:

" We're having a baby"

In the following minute several things happened: Both Amy and Rory smiled as widely as they could, and reached for their daugher's free hand and the Doctor's, ending up in a circle of entangled fingers, congratulations showered on them, and then came absolute silence. Amy looked up to the Doctor and slowly opened her mouth, then closed it again. this happened about four times before she finally found her voice:

" I'm going to be a grandmother..."

The Doctor thought about answering but ended up sticking with a nod, especially because Amy had already moved her gaze away, and because Rory was looking at him as if he was deciding wether to hug him or punch him in the face.

The couple's trance was broken by River's voice:

"Well, does nobody want to say anything else?"

After a few seconds, Rory answered her:

" I'd like to say... that was one hell of a Christmas gift"

All four of them started giggling, and then laughter exploded around the table. One hell of a Christmas gift indeed.  
    


	7. Granny and Pops

Amy paced around the living room, clasping her hands together.

"You know, I get that you're nervous, but drilling a hole in the floor might not be the best idea," Rory grabbed her hands and led her to the couch," calm down, they'll be here soon."

" It's just... I'm so nervous...good nervous, but still..."

" Don't worry, it shouldn't take much lo-"

The end of Rory's reassurance was muted by a loud wheezing sound, as a blue telephone box materialized in the middle of the carpet. The Doctor stepped out, followed by River, and her small (but already noticeable, and in his opinion, incredibly cute) baby bump.

Rory's calm evaporated and he jumped up from the couch before Amy could even move. she eventually caught up to him and they spoke as one voice:

"So?"

River smiled:

" Well, everything is perfectly fine with the baby, and just as a side note, that exam was the single most confusing thing of my life, and that's saying something. as for the gender of the baby... Drum-roll, please..." she paused dramatically, "It's a girl..."  
Amy discretely punched the air

"...and a boy"

The couple looked up, confused, and the Doctor clarified with a giddy expression:

" We're having twins!"

Gasps, laughs, and hugs went around the room, followed by a trip to the new room inside the TARDIS, because acoording to the Doctor, "You just _have_ to see it"

In all fairness, the room was amazing:the walls were painted in a soothing shade of beige,and on the wall across from the door was a window, currently showing an endless meadow. The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at it, and the sunny seashore replaced the colorful flowers.

"Cool, isn't it?"

He then proceeded to explain the mechanics of the device, of which nobody really understood (mostly because he was saying at least three words per second), and then showed them the rest of the room. Aside from all the regular baby supplies, he and River had certainly gone the extra mile: The ceiling was painted with what Amy suspected was the night sky seen from Gallifrey , and over the two cribs, rested the baby mobile Amy had seen in the Doctor's old crib. A lot of sentiment had clearly been put in the decoration, but when Rory suddenly stopped moving and called her in a choked up voice, she finally felt tears welling up. 

One of her biggest regrets was not actually raising River, and when she and the Doctor had told her their plan of living in the TARDIS, she'd felt as if she lost her chance at being part of a child's life, now, all her fears were washed away, as she looked over to the far corner of the nursery, and saw a picture above the rocking chair.

The picture had been taken at Christmas, on the day They had learned about the baby. The Doctor had wanted to remember the day, and so, after the inicial shock, they all smiled widely to the camera in the most ridiculous jumpers they owned. Happiness flowed from the picture on the wall, and in that moment, Amy considered that being called granny might not be that bad. 


End file.
